Coin sorting machine



Aug. 19, 1958 I F. BUNKER ETAL v 2,848,004

COIN SQRTING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1956 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1958 F. l. BUNKER ET AL com SORTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1956 IIIIIIIHH llllllHllll Richard fi/Bunkzv b ,7 i777 dll'i'orngg Aug.

Filed May 2, 1956 1. BUNKER ET AL ,0

. COIN SORTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 W'edriok A. Bunker! Qia'hma lhgunhat United States Patent COIN SORTING MACHINE Fredrick Illian Bunker and Richard Lindsay Bunker, Lake City, Iowa Application May 2, 1956, Serial No. 582,217

8 Claims. (Cl. 133-3) This invention relates to machines for separating money coins as to their values.

In commerce today many institutions obtain daily considerable amounts of mixed coins such as pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and like. This is particularly true of stores, banks, and in recent years the pennies and nickels collected by city administrators from street parking meters. Obviously, the coins are mixed and much time and labor are expended in sorting the coins for packing into containers holding, respectively, pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and like. Furthermore, such manual separating of the various coins consumes a great amount of time and particularly so if the sorting is to be accurate.

While some efiort has been made to mechanically sort coins, in general they are complicated and expensive. Also they are subject to jamming and clogging.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of our invention is to provide a mechanical coin sorter that is so constructed as to be jam proof.

A further object is to provide an accurate coins sorting device that is easily operated.

A further object of our invention is to provide a coin sorting machine that is rapid in operation.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a simple coin sorter of few moving parts.

Still further objects of this invention are to provide a money coin separator that is economical in manufacture, durable in use, and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in our claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of our coin sorter ready for use,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the sorting mechanism taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 3 is a side view of our sorter,

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the coin separating mechanism taken on line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan sectional view of the sorting mechanism taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 and more fully illustrates its construction, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the device taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The shape of the housing containing our device is not important, and it may be of the table type or may have supporting legs. Also the device may be constructed to separate any number of different sized coins. In the drawings, however, we show a machine for separating four difierent values of coins such as dimes, pennies, nickels, and quarters.

In these drawings We have used the numeral 10 to designate a base member having a vertical supporting post column 11. Rigidly secured to the top of this post ice 11 is a flat table base portion 12. This table 12 is canted to extend upwardly and forwardly as shown in Fig. 3. On the top face of this table are four concentric spaced apart grooves 13, 14, 15, and 16, as shown in Fig. 5. These grooves provide the coin races or tracks 17, 18, 19, and 20. The numeral 21 designates the top rotatable plate rotatably mounted on a bolt bearing 22 which extends through the center of the table 12. The center of the plate is raised to form an inverted cup portion 23 having the center entrance hole 24. A circular coin guiding knob 25 is secured to the upper portion of the bolt means 22. Spokes 26 run from this knob 25 to the plate 21, as

shown in Fig. 5 to produce the coin entrance distribution.

openings 27, 28, 29, and 30. The plate 21 is parallel to the table 12 but spaced slightly apart therefrom by the.

washer 31, as shown in Fig. 4. On the under side of the plate 21 are four circular continuous rows of downwardly extending spaced apart spikes 32, 33, 34 and 35. These continuous rows of spikes 32, 33, 34 and 35 conform to and extend into the grooves 13, 14, 15, and 16, respec tively. Thus, when the plate 21 is rotated these rows of spike rods have their free ends riding around in their complementary grooves in the fixed table 12. The spacing between the spikes of each continuous row differs from that of the other rows. The spikes of each row, however, are evenly spaced apart. The row of spikes 32 are spaced apart so that quarters 36 can not quite pass between them, but nickels 37, pennies 38, and dimes 39 can. The row of spikes 33 (loosely embracing the row 32) are spaced apart so that nickelscan not quite pass between them, but pennies and dimes can. The row of spikes 34 (loosely embracingthe row 33) are spaced apart so that pennies can not quite pass between them, but dimes can. The row of spikes 35 are so spaced apart that dimes can not pass between them. The numeral 40 designates a quarter exit hole in the table cutting the coin way 17 and groove 13 and spike row 32. The numeral 41 designates a nickel exit hole in the table cutting the coin way 18 and groove 14 and spike row 33. The numeral 42 designates a penny exit hole in the table cutting the coin way 19 and groove 15 and spike row 34. The numeral 43 designates the dime exit hole in the table top cutting the coin way 20, the groove 16 and spike row 35. On the underside of the exit holes 40, 41, 42 and 43 are the conduits 44, 45, 46, and 47, respectively. Each conduit has a detachable coin receiving bag 48. The numeral 49 designates a horizontal tray secured to the table 12 and extending across the face of the rotatable plate 21, as shown in Fig. 1. This tray has a chute portion 50 which extend forwardly and to the right at an angle into the coin opening 24. The numeral 51 designates an electric motor secured to the table 12 with its shaft 52 extending across the rim .of the rotating plate 21. The numeral 53 designates a rubber like roller on the shaft 52. and in engagement with the periphery of the circular rotating plate 21. This motor, when in electrical contact with a source of electrical energy, rotates All the coins will slide downwardly on the table surface by gravity. The quarters, however, will be confined by the spike row of pins 32 in the coin raceway 17. Allthe other coins will pass through the pin row 32 and into the coin Way 18. The pennies and dimes will pass through the pin row 33 leaving the nickels in the coin way 18. The dimes will pass through the pin row 34 leaving the pennies in the coin way 19. The dimes will be held within the coin way 20 inasmuch as they can not pass between the pin row 35. The rotation of the plate agitates the coins as they fall over the pins. Obviously, the pins as they move upwardly and to the left attempt to raise the coins against gravity thereby further facilitating the passage if possible through the rows of spike pins. As each row of pins will retain the coins they are spaced to retain, they will move the coins up and toward the outlet openings, i. e., the quarters will fall through the hole 40, the nickels through the hole 41, the pennies through the hole 42, and the dimes through the hole 43. The row of pins are so spaced apart that if a given coin is retained between two spike pins, a lesser sized coin will have room to pass it by in the same coin way. The operation is continuous. It is merely necessary to feed the coins to our sorter and they will be automtically selected and deposited into the proper receiving bag or container 48.

These bags may be of any design such as paper money tubes. If desired even a coin counter may be associated with each of the conduits 44, 45, 46 and 47. The continuous rings of spike fingers or pins 32, 33, 34 and 35 do all the necessary sorting without vibration.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of our coin sorting machine without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

We claim:

1. In a coin sorting machine, a fixed table having a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart grooves; said table extending forwardly and upwardly, a plate rotatably mounted in spaced relationship and parallel with the top of said table, a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart rows of spaced apart downwardly extending pins on said plate extending into the grooves of said table respectively, a coin entrance passageway through the center of said plate, and a coin discharge passageway in said table adjacent each of said grooves and being offset from the path of the flow of coins being processed through the machine; said pins of said circular rows of pins being progressively closer together as said circular rows increase in diameter.

2. In a coin sorting machine, a fixed table having a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart grooves; said table extending forwardly and upwardly, a plate rotatably mounted in spaced relationship and parallel with the top of said table, a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart rows of spaced apart downwardly extending pins on said plate extending into the grooves of said table respectively, a coin entrance passageway through the center of said plate, and a coin discharge passageway in said table adjacent each of said grooves and being offset from the path of the flow of coins being processed through the machine; said discharge passageways being in a plane above the extreme lower arc of the groove it is adjacent and said pins of said circular rows of pins being progressively closer together as said circular rows increase in diameter.

3. In a coin sorting machine, a fixed table having a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart grooves; said table extending forwardly and upwardly, a plate rotatably mounted in spaced relationship and parallel with the top of said table, a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart rows of spaced apart downwardly extending pins on said plate extending into the grooves of said table respectively, a coin entrance passageway through the center of said plate, a coin discharge passageway in said table adjacent each of said grooves and being offset from the path of the fiow of coins being processed through the machine; said pins of said circular rows of pins being progressively closer together as said circular rows increase in diameter, and a prime mover for rotating said plate.

4. In a coin sorting machine, a fixed table having a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart grooves; said table extending forwardly and upwardly, a circular plate rotatably mounted in spaced relationship and parallel with the top of said table, a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart rows of spaced apart downwardly extending pins on said plate extending into the grooves of said table respectively, a coin entrance passageway through the center of said plate, a coin discharge passageway in said table adjacent each of said grooves and being offset from the path of the flow of coins being processed through the machine; said pins of said circular rows of pins being progressively closer together as said circular rows increase in diameter, and a prime mover on said table having a drive shaft in contact with the periphery of said plate.

5. In a coin sorting machine, a fixed table having a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart grooves; said table extending forwardly and upwardly, a plate rotatably mounted in spaced relationship and parallel with the top of said table, a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart rows of spaced apart downwardly extending pins on said plate extending into the grooves of said table respectively, a coin entrance passageway through the center of said plate, a tray member having a chute communicating with said passageway, and a coin discharge passageway in said table adjacent each of said grooves and being offset from the path of the flow of coins being processed through the machine; said pins of said circular rows of pins being progressively closer together as said circular rows increase in diameter.

6. In a coin sorting machine, a fixed table having a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart grooves; said table extending fowardly and upwardly, a plate rotatably mounted in spaced relationship and parallel with the top of said table, a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart rows of spaced apart downwardly extending pins on said plate extending into the grooves of said table respectively, a coin entrance passageway through the center of said plate, a tray member secured to said table and extending across the face of said plate having a chute communicating with said passageway, and a coin discharge passageway in said table adjacent each of said grooves and being offset from the path of the flow of coins being processed through the machine; said pins of said circular rows of pins being progressively closer together as said circular rows increase in diameter.

7. In a coin sorting machine, a fixed table having a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart grooves; said table extending forwardly and upwardly, a plate rotatably mounted in spaced relationship and parallel with the top of said table, a plurality of concentric circular continuous spaced apart rows of spaced apart downwardly extending pins on said plate extending into the grooves of said table respectively, a coin entrance passageway through the center of said plate, a tray member having a chute communicating with said passageway at an angle for directing coins toward one side of center of said plate and table, and a coin discharge passageway in said table adjacent each of said grooves and being offset from the path of the flow of coins being processed through the machine; said pins of said circular rows of pins being progressively closer together as said circular rows increase in diameter.

8. In a coin sorting device, a fixed table extending upwardly and forwardly, a plate spaced apart from, parallel to and rotatably mounted to the top of said table, a plurality of spaced apart concentric rings each composed of a plurality of spaced apart downwardly extending pins on the bottom of said plate; saidpins of each m 2,848,004 5 6 of said rings being progressively closer together as said References Cited in the file of this patent rings progress in expanded arrangement relative to each other, a mixed coin entrance passageway in the central UNITED STATES PATENTS area of said plate, a plurality of selected coin exit pas- 780,270 Farrell Jan. 17, 1905 sageWays in said table adjacent said plurality of rings re- 5 861,157 Brewster July 23, 1907 spectively; said passageways being oifset from the path 1,076,113 Harralson Oct. 21, 1913 of flow of coins being processed through the device, and 1,188,494 Savrda June 27, 1916 a means for rotating said plate. 2,351,197 Francis June 13, 1944 

